Draft reinstated, 2005

$28 million has been added to the 2004 Selective Service System (SSS)
budget to prepare for a military draft that could start as early as
June 15, 2005. SSS must report to Bush on March 31, 2005 that the
system, which has lain dormant for decades, is ready for activation.
Please see website: www.sss.gov... to view
the SSS Annual Performance Plan - Fiscal Year 2004.

The Pentagon has quietly begun a public campaign to fill all 10,350
draft board positions and 11,070 appeals board slots nationwide..
Though this is an unpopular election year topic, military experts and
influential members of Congress are suggesting that if Rumsfeld's
prediction of a "long, hard slog" in Iraq and Afghanistan [and a
permanent state of war on "terrorism"] proves accurate, the U.S. may
have no choice but to draft.

Congress brought twin bills, S. 89 and H.R. 163 forward this year,
entitled the Universal National Service Act of 2003, "To provide for
the common defense by requiring that all young persons [age 18--26] in
the United States, including women, perform a period of military
service or a period of civilian service in furtherance of the national
defense and homeland security, and for other purposes." These active
bills currently sit in the Committee on Armed Services.

Dodging the draft will be more difficult than those from the Vietnam
era remember. College and Canada will not be options. In December
2001, Canada and the US signed a "Smart Border Declaration," which
could be used to keep would-be draft dodgers in. Signed by Canada's
Minister of Foreign Affairs, John Manley, and US Homeland Security
Director, Gov. Tom Ridge, the declaration involves a 30-point plan
which implements, among other things, a "pre-clearance agreement" of
people entering and departing each country. Reforms aimed at making
the draft more equitable along gender and class lines also eliminates
higher education as a shelter. Underclassmen would only be able to
postpone service until the end of their current semester. Seniors
would have until the end of the academic year.

From S 89:

"SEC. 2. NATIONAL SERVICE OBLIGATION.

(a) OBLIGATION FOR YOUNG PERSONS- It is the obligation of every citizen of the United States, and every other person residing in the United States,
who is between the ages of 18 and 26 to perform a period of national service as prescribed in this Act unless exempted under the provisions of this
Act.

(b) FORM OF NATIONAL SERVICE- National service under this Act shall be performed either--

(1) as a member of an active or reserve component of the uniformed services; or

(2) in a civilian capacity that, as determined by the President, promotes the national defense, including national or community service and homeland
security.

(c) INDUCTION REQUIREMENTS- The President shall provide for the induction of persons covered by subsection (a) to perform national service under this
Act.

(d) SELECTION FOR MILITARY SERVICE- Based upon the needs of the uniformed services, the President shall--

(1) determine the number of persons covered by subsection (a) whose service is to be performed as a member of an active or reserve component of the
uniformed services; and

(2) select the individuals among those persons who are to be inducted for military service under this Act.

(e) CIVILIAN SERVICE- Persons covered by subsection (a) who are not selected for military service under subsection (d) shall perform their national
service obligation under this Act in a civilian capacity pursuant to subsection (b)(2)."

....

"SEC. 7. INDUCTION EXEMPTIONS.

(a) QUALIFICATIONS- No person may be inducted for military service under this Act unless the person is acceptable to the Secretary concerned for
training and meets the same health and physical qualifications applicable under section 505 of title 10, United States Code, to persons seeking
original enlistment in a regular component of the Armed Forces.

(b) OTHER MILITARY SERVICE- No person shall be liable for induction under this Act who--

(1) is serving, or has served honorably for at least six months, in any component of the uniformed services on active duty; or

(2) is or becomes a cadet or midshipman at the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Air Force Academy,
the Coast Guard Academy, the United States
Merchant Marine Academy, a midshipman of a Navy accredited State maritime academy, a member of the Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps, or the
naval aviation college program, so long as that person satisfactorily continues in and completes two years training therein.

SEC. 8. CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION.

(a) CLAIMS AS CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTOR- Any person selected under this Act for induction into the uniformed services who claims, because of religious
training and belief (as defined in section 6(j) of the Military Selective Service Act (50 U.S.C. 456(j))), exemption from combatant training included
as part of that military service and whose claim is sustained under such procedures as the President may prescribe, shall, when inducted, participate
in military service that does not include any combatant training component.

(b) TRANSFER TO CIVILIAN SERVICE- Any such person whose claim is sustained may, at the discretion of the President, be transferred to a national
service program for performance of such person's national service obligation under this Act."

Hr 163: "1/7/2003--Introduced.
Universal National Service Act of 2003 - Declares that it is the obligation of every U.S. citizen, and every other person residing in the United
States, between the ages of 18 and 26 to perform a two-year period of national service, unless exempted, either as a member of an active or reserve
component of the armed forces or in a civilian capacity that promotes national defense. Requires induction into national service by the President.
Sets forth provisions governing: (1) induction deferments, postponements, and exemptions, including exemption of a conscientious objector from
military service that includes combatant training; and (2) discharge following national service.

Amends the Military Selective Service Act to authorize the military registration of females. "

Status:

HR 163-

1/7/2003:
Referred to the House Committee on Armed Services.
2/3/2003:
Executive Comment Requested from DOD.
2/3/2003:
Referred to the Subcommittee on Total Force.

You do not have to be fit and healthy to join the US army. You dont even have to speak english.

One girl in my basic training platoon was legally blind without her glasses.

All you need is a pulse, two arms, and two legs to join.

And for your information, most Americans would be fit and healthy enough to get drafted. That age group is not the main one that gets fat and
unhealthy, they are still lean and mean around there. Its the older generations that suffer that.

you get physically fit when you get into training. Its not a matter of what you are before. In basic, they break you down and build you back up. so u
can be terribly out of shape when you go in, but when u come out, you wont be that bad anymore.

We require a larger military than you, thus, we dont need standards such as yours, we need quantity, we can fix them and shape them to our whim as
they come in. make boys into men, or whatever. makes elves into men too

As to your topic Shotek.....you a lil' worried or something over this?
I mean, is there a problem with this?
Some countires (Germany, Israel, etc) have mandatory service times...
Why is the re-instituting of the draft of any consequence?

You know, I don't get how all the nay-sayers can still think that there is nothing going on concerning a draft even though the SSS budget is being
upped, draft boards populated and two bills circulating congress. I guess they wont believe it untill their first day of boot camp...

Seekerof.......
You listed Germany and Israel..not exactly good examples. Niether country is very free or safe.

This is supposed to be America. A volunteer army. The draft is absolute bull#. We do not need the draft. What we need is too pull troops from all
these unnecessary commitments and overseas bases, and bring them home. We would have no problems then with strength.

Originally posted by theshadowknows
oh #. I'll be 18 in 2006. How much trouble will I get in if I don't register when im 18 ???

I think it disqualifies you from certain benefits and privileges like voting, financial aid in college, etc. I also heard that you could actually be
held in jail untill you agree to signup, kind of like being held in contempt of court, but don't hold me to that one.

Originally posted by Tetsuo-51
You have to fill out your Selective Service draft card, its the law.

If you dont, you have two choices:

1) Move to a different country (I wouldnt want you here anyway, we dont need pussies)

2) Go to jail (And if youre too scared to fill out your draft card, you wont last very long in prison)

Yeah get in line with the rest of the flock of sheep.

What if it's against your beliefs to fight in wars? What if you do not agree with the reasons for the war? What if you think the mind is a far
greater fighting tool than the firsts? That one obviously passed you by.

If the military was actually being used for it's true purpose, defence, then there would be more than enough troops for the job. But no, the
government need more hired killers to run around the world killing so that the fat cats can line their pockets.

You're the pussy for joining the rest of the flock, you're the pussy accepting everything the government tells you to do.

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